Pre Spring 2013 Team Outlook

[geaux_sioux]

This season was a failure. The goal of any offense is to outscore the opponent which they did not on the season and in most games. The goal of the defense is to not allow an opponent to score more than you which obviously was a massive failure this year. Neither of them did their fundamental jobs this year. Both sides of the ball have huge weaknesses that need to be fixed in order to be a legit program and make the playoffs every year. I will outline each position group for the 2013 outlook and what they need to improve on and what they should bring to the table next season.

-OLine

Key losses, Lynch McGurran

Key replacements, Windfelt Hoerchner Hellman

Possible starters Windfelt (So 6-6 296) Anderson (So 6-6 293) Walker (Jr 6-2 314) Kleason (Sr 6-4 291) Denui (Sr 6-8 304)

Outlook, Kleason ended the season playing left tackle and playing very well. I wouldn't be shocked if he played OG or OT because he's a fantastic run blocking guard but also proved more than proficient at LT late this year.

Walker will most likely replace McGurran, he's twice the athlete McGurran is and is more powerful, we'll see if he can close the gap on the scheme side of things. If he does he could be a great C.

Anderson has HUGE upside, we're talking a taller Kuper type of upside. If he dedicates himself to being a lean mobile beast like Kuper then we may have ourselves an All American type guard for the next three years.

Windfelt was very highly recruited out of high school and also has loads of upside. He looks to be a bit sloppy still and will need to trim down alot and get quicker and stronger this winter. He could end up being the key to the OLine next year since the other starters will have plenty of experience.

Denui is obviously a very tall young man, he is also very agile for his size. He needs to get alot bigger and alot stronger this year. With his frame he should be able to dominate players and seal off his side of the line in pass protection and plow in the run game.

Hoerchner has come a long way since last year when he got thrown around in his limited playing time. He matured nicely in the off season and could be a very valuable backup and will at the very least push the starters. He needs to continue to develop and get stronger and bigger.

Hellman looks alot like McGurran at C. He's got nice size at 6-5 302lbs but needs to trim down and gain more muscle and strength to get more mobile and powerful. He should push walker at the C position and could even end up allowing Walker to move to OG to add depth.

Meehan is a big boy at 6-6 306lbs but looks very sloppy. He needs to slim down and then bulk up this summer and get bigger all over. He is another one of the highly recruited guys from the 2011 recruiting class and needs to live up to his potential by putting in the work this winter.

Next Up: RB/FB/TE

[Oxbow6]

-OLine

Key losses, Lynch McGurran

Key replacements, Windfelt Hoerchner Hellman

Possible starters Windfelt (So 6-6 296) Anderson (So 6-6 293) Walker (Jr 6-2 314) Kleason (Sr 6-4 291) Denui (Sr 6-8 304)

Where is Barton in this mix?

He will be Jr. and at 6'6" and 302 that's really good size. Was a HS basketball standout so he has decent feet as well.

[geaux_sioux]

Where is Barton in this mix?

He will be Jr. and at 6'6" and 302 that's really good size. Was a HS basketball standout so he has decent feet as well.

He's got potential but things don't seem to have clicked yet with him. Much like a lot of the younger inexperienced linemen its up to him to dedicate himself this winter to become a factor. I'd like to see him succeed as an ND kid so hopefully he gets it and does what it takes to get to that next level and be apart of the rotation.

I did see him on the sidelines in Greeley so the coaches have him ahead of Windfelt at this point. I just feel like Windfelt has greater potential so I put him ahead of Barton.

[geaux_sioux]

RB/FB/TE:

RB

The only loss from this group is Mitch Sutton who was a very serviceable strong runner but had little to no tread left on his tires. Returning is a group that is very quick and has some good experience but lacks size in a big way. I haven't heard if the coaches are looking to find a JUCO RB or not but it might not be a terrible idea.

Key Loss: Mitch Sutton

Key Returners: Jake Miller (SR 5-11 167) Jer Garmin (JR 5-9 177) PJ Sparks (SO 5-9 192) Adam Shaugabay (JR 6-1 202) Kodee Varner (FR 6-0 180)

Jake Miller has a ton of experience and is obviously a very fast runner with great vision and open field ability. He, however, requires his lineman to get him to the second level untouched to be effective. He does not possess to ability to make something out of nothing ala Zach Bauman. He needs to hit the weights harder this winter and hit the buffet equally as hard to gain weight. There is no way his slight frame can withstand the pounding of a Big Sky schedule. He needs to get up to at least 195. If he gets up to that weight he will not only be more powerful and hard to bring down but also faster and more explosive.

Jer Garmin has yet to get enough carries in his career. He has shown flashes of brilliance and quickness but just hasn't quite made the plays that he is expected to (as a RB or PR). Jer is listed at 5-9 and that is extremely generous, at 177 he is decently thick but could still use more weight and strength to be more effective. He needs to get leaner and get up around 190 so he isn't so easy to bring down. He also needs to get a step faster, he has unreal quickness but lacks the burst to hit a long run or return. He has alot of potential and could be a playmaker if he gets more touches next year.

PJ Sparks is built like a pit bull already. He is also listed at 5-9 but may be more of 5-8. He is the thickest of the returning RBs and showed some good skills against very inferior competition in the Mines game. He could end up being the surprise player next season and I expect him to turn some heads this spring. He should get over 200 lbs this winter and get leaner as well to increase his speed. He's still a bit of an enigma as there is such a small sample of his play.

Adam Shaugabay is a very violent runner. He also possesses surprising speed. When he has gotten opportunities to carry the ball he has made the most of them. He is also noticeably a physical force blocking on the KR team. It will be interesting to see his role in the offense next year as he is by far the most powerful and hard to bring down of the returning RBs. He's another guy that could turn some heads if given the chance.

Kodee Varner is about a year away from being physically ready to contribute as a RB. He may already be ready to play special teams and possibly make use of his smooth speed as a KR. He has a good frame and will be able to easily get above 200 lbs and keep his speed by the time he's a soph. If he does things right this winter he should get up to about 190 or 195 easily. It will be exciting to see him come spring.

FB

Key Loss Ethan Magstad

Key Returners Zack Adler (So 6-3 237) Keven Bayer(Fr 5-10 235)

Adler is a big good looking football player. He is a little stiff and needs to improve his flexibility. Will probably be around 250 next year. Could prove very valuable both as a blocker and receiver given his conversion from being a TE. He is a true H back that gives the offense extra versatility. He needs to also get quicker and faster. Could prove to be a very good unsung hero of the running game.

Keven Bayer is already built like a cinder block. He is low to the ground and will be a load when blocking or running. Needs to get leaner and faster this winter and get around 240. Could end up being a devastating blocker.

TE

Key Losses Seth Nichols Seth Wisthoff

Key Returners Taylor Grant (JR 6-5 235) Tucker Norby (FR 6-4 245) Luke Mathewson (FR 6-5 235)

Taylor Grant is a very good long snapper for the punt team. He is painfully slow and lumbers down the field when covering punts. He needs to get much faster and quicker and stronger. This winter he should get up around 250 lbs. Hopefully he can provide a receiving threat out of the TE spot which has been missing for years.

Norby and Mathewson are very similar players and needs to get wayyyy stronger and bigger this winter. Both have tons of room left on their frames and should be up around 260.

[Bison06]

Seems like a tall order to ask Jake Miller to gain 30 pounds in one offseason AND be faster and more explosive. He looks to have a pretty small frame and genetics say he likely will stay that way(I knew his sister well in college and she has one of the more slight frames I have ever seen on a woman)

He has that ectomorph body type that is usually described as a "hard gainer". My guess is Mr. Miller could eat whatever he can get his hands on and he would be lucky to put on 10 lbs of muscle this offseason.

[geaux_sioux]

Seems like a tall order to ask Jake Miller to gain 30 pounds in one offseason AND be faster and more explosive. He looks to have a pretty small frame and genetics say he likely will stay that way(I knew his sister well in college and she has one of the more slight frames I have ever seen on a woman)

He has that ectomorph body type that is usually described as a "hard gainer". My guess is Mr. Miller could eat whatever he can get his hands on and he would be lucky to put on 10 lbs of muscle this offseason.

I had one hell of a time gaining weight when I played. One winter I stuffed myself like none other and before I knew it I had gained 10 pounds. Some people gain weight easily. Naturally skinny people have to eat like crazy to gain but when they gain it's nice and lean which is why he'd get faster and more explosive. Basically he needs to eat like Michael Phelps and lift like it's his job.

[Bison06]

I had one hell of a time gaining weight when I played. One winter I stuffed myself like none other and before I knew it I had gained 10 pounds. Some people gain weight easily. Naturally skinny people have to eat like crazy to gain but when they gain it's nice and lean which is why he'd get faster and more explosive. Basically he needs to eat like Michael Phelps and lift like it's his job.

I had a similar problem, never weighed more than 180 and boy did I try. Then I realized I was better off being faster and more explosive anyway. Did you retain your speed and explosiveness with the added weight?

[siouxfbfan]

You never know when it comes to weight. I added 45 lbs and got faster and more explosive(skill position). Part of it was maturing, and it may very well happen for Miller.

[SWSiouxMN]

Which group will be previewed next? QB/WR?

[Csonked Out]

In my opinion the real problem is the defensive coaching. I will not be happy unless every single defensive coach is fired after the season we saw. A 3-4 Scheme does not work unless you have a good Nose tackle, in my opinion we need to be running a 4-3 starting next year. Also, for the life of me I can't figure out why we gave the receivers so much room on every play, get up in their face and bump them in those first five yards. We should be bringing in multiple JUCO safeties, cornerbacks, and D-line this spring to get back on track. I hope I am wrong, but the defensive coaching was just terrible on all accounts....

[gfhockey]

we need juco help bad on defensive

offer them starting jobs right away to get them here

been hearing a lot of good things about labatt

allso muss said we otn be red shirting as much in the future

[geaux_sioux]

I had a similar problem, never weighed more than 180 and boy did I try. Then I realized I was better off being faster and more explosive anyway. Did you retain your speed and explosiveness with the added weight?

I got higher top end speed and was a stronger runner but didn't get any quicker other than the first step having a bit more pop. I didn't gain any fat though, which is obviously key.

[geaux_sioux]

Which group will be previewed next? QB/WR?

Yea. I forgot to throw that in at the end.

[geaux_sioux]

In my opinion the real problem is the defensive coaching. I will not be happy unless every single defensive coach is fired after the season we saw. A 3-4 Scheme does not work unless you have a good Nose tackle, in my opinion we need to be running a 4-3 starting next year. Also, for the life of me I can't figure out why we gave the receivers so much room on every play, get up in their face and bump them in those first five yards. We should be bringing in multiple JUCO safeties, cornerbacks, and D-line this spring to get back on track. I hope I am wrong, but the defensive coaching was just terrible on all accounts....

That NT you speak of is in the program as we speak.

As far as the coaching, you cant expect them to turn water into wine.

[tnt]

That NT you speak of is in the program as we speak.

As far as the coaching, you cant expect them to turn water into wine.

The problem is that if the talent of the players is the problem, then it was the coaches who recruited "water" instead of "wine".

[geaux_sioux]

The problem is that if the talent of the players is the problem, then it was the coaches who recruited "water" instead of "wine".

Recruiting is such an inexact science though, look at ndsu's senior class this year

[Bison06]

You never know when it comes to weight. I added 45 lbs and got faster and more explosive(skill position). Part of it was maturing, and it may very well happen for Miller.

You gained 45 lbs over one offseason? Now I am interested and need to hear specifics on that.

[geaux_sioux]

You gained 45 lbs over one offseason? Now I am interested and need to hear specifics on that.

I feel like he means over his career.

[Csonked Out]

Recruiting is such an inexact science though, look at ndsu's senior class this year

Yes, but their other classes more than make up for it. We have no business comparing ourselves to NDSU with the product that is currently on the field.

[geaux_sioux]

Yes, but their other classes more than make up for it. We have no business comparing ourselves to NDSU with the product that is currently on the field.

They only won one more game first year out of the transition and didn't have near the schedule we did. Compair this years ndsu team to our team in 4 years.

[Csonked Out]

They only won one more game first year out of the transition and didn't have near the schedule we did. Compair this years ndsu team to our team in 4 years.

I hope your right....

[Hawkster]

They only won one more game first year out of the transition and didn't have near the schedule we did. Compair this years ndsu team to our team in 4 years.

Yes, but they didn't have a D2 either like we did. I'm not so sure that makes our schedule the killer you make it out to be. The Mines game will bug me for a long, long time.

[siouxfbfan]

I feel like he means over his career.

correct. about 25 my freshman year and the rest over the next 4

[Wilbur]

2013 wish list:

Defensively

~I want to see fat run-stoppers. Big tub o-jelly lineman on the inside that will clog up lanes and eat up blockers for our linebackers. It'd be nice to see guys on the edge with some speed that can maybe get to the QB.

~I want to see cornerbacks that can tackle, and not get beat on double moves.

~Agree with previous post. If you look like dog crap in the 3-4, time to get away from it.

Offensively

~Need to figure out how to run the ball to keep the defense off the field. Whether that means three yards and a pile of dust in the wishbone, one back sets, or the I......running the ball effectively would be an upgrade.

~Playcalling. This will get better with running the ball more effectively. But can we go at least one game where I don't scream at the computer or TV multiple times. Play action becomes so much more effective as well with a running game.

Special teams

~Hardin returning kicks needs to stick. Need more from the punt return game. Its adds to his play total, but I wouldn't mind seeing him return punts as well.

[Herd]

They only won one more game first year out of the transition and didn't have near the schedule we did. Compair this years ndsu team to our team in 4 years.

NDSU's 3-8 season was a result of a lost locker room due to players being kicked off the team, a D coordinator who did not see eye to eye with the head coach, and subpar QB play. NDSU did not have 3-8 personnel that year, save the QB . . . that team underachieved more than any team in the last 30 years.. PP led the nation in rushing, but the defense was lost, and the team was very undisciplined with penaties killing several games.

A Defensive switch was flipped along with a winning attitude, and a winning recorded and playoff run were the result. Maybe UND can flip a switch, but it sure seems like the personnel is not there to make it happen. I hope you don't see NDSU's 3-8 as a beacon of hope, apples and oranges. If UND could flip a switch, it would be with a new coaching staff.